Interestingly enough, the jargon file entry for hacker (according to KDict) contains the following:

8. [deprecated] A malicious meddler who tries to discover sensitive information by poking around. Hence `password hacker', `network hacker'. The correct term for this sense is cracker.

I think deprecated is wishful thinking since that appears to be the media's primary definition for the word.

It also points out that hacking doesn't necessarily have to deal with computers.

90% of every Perl application is already written.
dragonchild

In reply to Re: Fighting the denigration of hacking by pfaut
in thread Fighting the denigration of hacking by flyingmoose

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